Kenyan Americans are an ethnic group of Americans of Kenyan descent. As of the 2010 census, there were an estimated 92,638 Kenyan-born persons living in the United States and according to 2015 data of Migration Policy Institute, there were approximately 102,000 Kenyan immigrants and their children residing in the United States.
Most Kenyan Americans are concentrated in Minneapolis-St. Paul, Seattle, Texas, Maryland, massachusetts, Georgia, California, New York, North Carolina, and the greater Washington, D.C.
Restrictions against immigration from Asia and Africa led to little voluntary immigration from Kenya until the latter half of the 20th century. Kenyan emigration to the United States then noted a large increase, nearly doubling from the decades before.
This increase was caused by several factors; political instability and a downturn in the economy in the 1980s in Kenya coupled with a high rate of unemployment (over 35 percent) led to a greater desire to immigrate. Some immigrants were also attracted to technology-oriented careers in the United States that boomed in availability in the 1990s and early 2000s.[3]
Kenyan Americans come from ethnic groups such as the Kikuyu, Kisii, Luhya, Kamba, Kalenjin, Meru or Luo people.
The largest populations of Kenyans in the United States are found in Southern California, Massachusetts, and the greater Washington, D.C. area. Many Kenyans are also established in Georgia and North Carolina, states with important health care centers.
According to the 2010 census, approximately one-third of persons born in Kenya who are living in the US have become naturalized citizens.[1][3]
African immigrants are among the most educated groups in the United States. Like their recent immigrant counterparts Kenyan Americans give a high value to education.[3]
According to estimates from the Migration Policy Institute for 2015 to 2019, the total number of immigrants from Kenya in the USA was 141,800.[4] The top counties of settlement were as follows:
1) Hennepin County, MN ———————— 6,900
2) King County, WA ——————————- 4,500
3) Tarrant County, TX —————————– 4,400
4) Dallas County, TX —————————— 3,700
5) Baltimore County, MD ———————– 3,000
6) Harris County, TX —————————— 2,900
7) Los Angeles County, CA ——————– 2,500
8) Franklin County, OH ————————— 2,500
9) Middlesex County, Mass.——————- 2,400
10) Collin County, TX —————————– 2,400
11) Pierce County, WA ————————— 2,200
12) Montgomery County, MD —————- 2,000
13) Cobb County, GA —————————– 2,000
14) Ramsey County, MN ———————— 1,900
15) New Castle County, DE ——————– 1,900
16) Maricopa County, AZ ———————- 1,800
17) Johnson County, KS ———————— 1,800
Source: wikipedia.org and Migration Policy Institute
Total Population of Kenyans in America and where they live
